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Kingston Threaded DDR3 Deep Dive
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 In the same workload presented to the conventional memory modules, the threaded modules will require 16 transactions for each 64 Byte transfer, but will combine two parallel hemichannels, thereby achieving full bandwidth. The duration of the burst is 8T (12.5ns), which is long enough to completely mask tRRD at 5T, hence the modules can do seamless back-to-back transactions. On average, 2.5 row activates are necessary within each 30 ns tFAW window, which is less than the limit of four, therefore no wait states need to be inserted and the modules can utilize the full theoretically available bandwidth.
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Kingston SSD Now V 40GB
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The biggest obstacle to mainstreaming SSD's has been price per gigabyte and overall cost of individual SSD's. Leave it to Kingston to break the price barrier and deliver a 40GB Kingston SSDNow for a measly $115 (Before MIR). Not only are they delivering a $115 SSD, they are delivering an Intel controller and Intel Nand flash SSD.
You can reach up and close your mouth now, yes it's a $115 SSD with an Intel controller and Nand flash in it. Not only that, it's also not the old 45nm SSD rehashed for Kingston, it's the new 34nm design with a totally new Intel controller that offers marginally better performance than the uber expensive (at launch) Intel X25-M. At launch the Intel X25-M was running in the $600 - $800 range for an 80GB MLC SSD. Short months later you can get a better drive, with 40GB capacity for $115, take the $115 times two and you get the same capacity for $230 pre MIR, after MIR (At Launch) the total cost for 80GB would run a measly $170.
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Elixir 6 GB 1600 MHz CL9 Tri-Channel
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Elixir is known for their standard JEDEC modules, usually found in budget and mid-range systems. Their 1600 MHz tri-channel kit tries to give you that same value with a hint of overclockability thrown in the mix, for those who want that magical 1600 MHz speed, while spending as little as possible.
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Kingston HyperX 4GB 2133MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Memory Kit Review
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It happens to be one of the two fastest HyperX 2133MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Memory kits in Kingston’s arsenal. It’s similar to the elite stuff we we saw in action at the GIGABYTE’s P55 launch party clocking in at over 2400MHz and it’s called the HyperX KHX2133C9D3T1K2/4GX Dual Channel Memory. Boy, is this stuff ever fast!
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Corsair Flash Survivor 32GB
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"Many USB drives are small, plastic products which may provide high-speed performance at a low cost, but ultimately many are let down by their susceptibility to being dropped, stood on or lost. If you are careful, this may not be a problem. However, if you want to carry important backup information you need to be sure that your drive is going to survive some moderate damage and that you can encrypt the data easily. This is where the Corsair Survivor fits in, as it is a ruggedized USB drive that is water resistant to 200m and fits in an anodized aluminium capsule to give it extra protection."
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OCZ Platinum 1866MHz DDR3 Memory
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OCZ Technologies Memory is one of the most preferred types of memory to have in our computers. Who would not want to have memory that performs well, and stable in our computers? Unlike the Intel 1366 socket Core i7 CPUs tring to find a set of low voltage high frequency memory was next to impossible at the starting of this newer CPU type. This time around, memory manufacturers were prepared to have high frequency, low voltage memory for the newer Intel Core i5/i7 1156 socket CPU's.
Today we are going to look at a set of Platinum 1866MHz memory from OCZ Technologies. Intels newer 1156 socket type uses only a dual channel configuration. But unlike the 1366 socket CPUs default memory speed of 1066MHz, the 1156 socket CPUs has a default memory speed of 1333MHz. What does this tell us? The 1156 socket CPUs have a higher memory divider available to us to really get our memory screaming.
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GSKILL Rip Jaw 2000MHz Memory
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With the introduction of the P55 chipest and the new socket type, 1156, comes a old but new standard. Like the CPU's of old, the newer 1156 socket CPUs use a dual channel memory controller.
But that's where it ends as far as similarities. Because unlike the CPUs of old, the newer Core i5/i7 socket 1156 CPUs, use a IMC (Integrated Memory Controller) like the 1366 socket CPU's have. The newer Core i5/i7 socket 1156 CPUs can really handle the memory very well. So well in fact these CPUs can keep up with their tri channel CPUs counter parts.
Which leads us to another question. Why would we need such high memory speed on our computers? The answer is simple, one of the main reasons for having a high frequency memory is it helps the CPU process information going to and from. Memory bandwidth is a byproduct of high frequency (good byproduct by the way). Another reason to have high frequency memory installed in our computers is if you are an avid overclocker like myself, we have a higher ceiling with our FSB's or BCLK without having to slow down the memory to accommodate the high FSB and or BCLK, therefore optimizing our computers even further.
GSkill has introduced a dual channel memory set specifically designed to run and enhance our socket 1156 CPUs experience. Lets take a step inside the 'Dragons Lair', start up Minor Me, and see how far the GSkill Rip Jaws 2000 MHz will go.
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Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB Kit DDR3-1333/PC3-10600
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In this Review the performance and the overclocking of a Crucial Ballistix Tracer
PC3-10600 CL6 4GB DDR3 kit are tested and compared with 16 Dual Channel kits of previous reviews.
Since current AMD processors supports DDR3 memory modules, DDR3 Dual Channel kits got more demand.
Because who like to build a new PC system with an AMD Phenom II processor, surely prefer
a motherboard with DDR3 Dual Channel support.
This OC review will show the difference between DDR3 and DDR2 RAM and the review will
also show how far this DDR3 kit can be overclocked on a current AMD 790GX system.
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Kingston HyperX 8GB Kit 1600MHz (KHX1600C8D3K4/8GX).
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With Windows 7 on the store shelves and shipping we are hearing that raw ram speed might not be the key to better performance in Windows 7. We've always felt that the amount of ram was just as important as raw ram speed but in Windows 7 and all 64bit OS we see advantages to more ram. Most end users end up in the 1333 - 1600MHz range anyway so we got two kits of ram each 8GB in size and running at 1600MHz. We tested both on our normal suite of memory tests, then fired up Windows 7 Professional and tested both kits using a 4GB and 8GB configuration to check and see if the claims of improved performance with larger kits held any truth.
We think you will be somewhat surprised with the results we know we were. While we are using native 8GB kits there's no reason why you can't start with 4GB (2x2GB) and later buy an identical kit and run 8GB. We prefer to run 8GB out of the gate and Kingston was nice enough to send some of our favorite ram for the test. Yes that's right the always popular Kingston HyperX. Easy to run, easy to tune and overclocks like a champion.
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Verbatim TUFF-CLIP 8GB USB Drive
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" Today for review I’ve got the Verbatim Tuff-Clip 8GB USB drive. This USB drive resembles a carabineer style clip that you can attach to most anything. The drive comes with software to create two partitions as well, one secure and one public so you can hide any important data so it can’t be accessed without a password. I’ve put it up against a few other 8gb USB drives I’ve got on hand for comparison and the Tuff-Clip performs well actually.."
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Patriot Torqx M28 128GB Solid State Drive
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"Patriot has been on the charge with their SSD line-up. It started out when they entered the market with the Warp Series and now we are on the second version of the Torqx drive. Patriot has even launched their first Apple specific model, the KOI.
The Torqx M28 is a different breed from the Torqx we tested back in June. The first Torqx product used the Indilinx Barefoot controller with 64MB of cache. The latest version, the M28 has 128MB of cache and uses a Samsung controller. This isn’t the first time we have tested a drive with the Samsung chip, the Kingston V+ Series, Corsair P256 and P64 drives that we tested in RAID also use the same controller."
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Active Media Penguin USB Drive Preview
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There isn't much that can be said about USB drives in general, they work great, are extremely convenient and when a portion of the proceeds can benefit a good cause you cannot complain. Active Media Products donates 5% of the retail price of this merchandise to WWF, with a minimum annual contribution of $25,000.
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Verbatim Tuff N Tiny 8GB Flash Drive
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Today's review product turned the tables on her, though. With an excess of mirth, I watched her reaction to the Verbatim TUFF-'N'-TINY™ 8gig portable flash drive. Giggly as a school girl, she immediately laid claim to the drive. As you can see from the pictures, the TUFF-'N'-TINY is a diminutive flash drive, even pixie-like. This set her to fawning over it and laying out plans to keep it on one of her cherished stuff animals. Having already hatched my own nefarious schemes for the drive, I suddenly felt a bit like a selfish schoolboy, hesitant to share. Rarely will a piece of computer hardware invoke this sort of reaction in our house. However, looks are not everything. To get a good review from me, this Lilliputian flash drive will have to put forth decent numbers and live up to its claim of being tough.
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Patriot Viper 2 Sector 5 DDR3 2GHz (PVV34G2000LLKB for Core i5)
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Now with the LGA 1156 platform, Dual Channel DDR3 is all the rage. While your older high voltage DDR3 kit will work, it will need to run in under 1.65v to ensure you don't end up killing your CPU. So if you have a 1600MHz kit that requires 1.9v, (which isn't uncommon) you'll likely be limited to the 1333 - 1400 MHz range on that kit. To take advantage of the full potential of LGA 1156 Core i5/i7 memory your going to need a good kit of low voltage DDR3 capable of giving you the performance you want and stay under that pesky 1.65v limitation imposed on LGA 1156 CPU's. We say ' imposed ' on CPU's because it's the memory controller on the CPU that needs the RAM to stay under 1.65v to prevent damage.
Your in luck, with LGA 1156, the RAM vendors knew what to expect and had kits waiting on the shelf built to specifications specifically for Core i5/i7. Kit's like the Patriot Viper 2 Sector 5 4GB 2GHz kit we have in hand to show you today. By the time we get done with it the Sector 5 kit may be ready for Area 51.
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OCZ Blade DDR2 1066MHz (PC2 8500) 2x2GB RAM Kit
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"The modules themselves are shiny black with a silver OCZ logo that really pops out. The PCB is black, and the motherboard connector is a nice contrasting gold. OCZ put a new cooler on the Blade series of memory modules. It is made out of two pieces of pure aluminum, once on each side. The two pieces are then screwed together. This should provide superior cooling to the type of cooler that uses a plastic clip to hold the cooling pieces together."
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Active Media Products WWF Panda 8GB USB Drive Review
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"The Active Media Products WWF 8 GB flash drive comes as a panda bear to show your support for the World Wildlife Fund. The Active Media Products panda 8GB drive utilizes their media technology and a 5% proceed to the WWF fund. If you’re looking for a USB drive and you are an animal lover, then show your support with one of these drives."
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Corsair Dominator DDR3 1600 (CDM4GX3M2A1600C8
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Along with Core i5/i7 (LGA 1156) came different requirements for RAM than previous platforms. The predecessor to LGA 1156 was core i7 LGA 1366 and it needed low voltage DDR3 in the triple channel flavor. The LGA 1156 platform needs Dual Channel DDR3, and it has the same 1.65v low voltage requirement as the previous platform.
When LGA 1366 hit the streets memory vendors were scrambling for low voltage memory IC's and the manufacturers of the low voltage controllers couldn't keep up. Kit's were slow in appearing because of the lack of an adequate supply of memory IC's that fit the bill for voltage. Our first kit was a triple channel kit that ran at 1066MHz and we were glad to have it because prices were extremely high at the time.
When Core i5/i7 launched vendors were ready for it and memory in every speed and flavor was ready for the shelves, which means that one of our favorite brands was ready to ship. Corsair sent us a 4GB kit of Dominator 1600MHz with timings of 8-8-8-24. Let's run the Dominator a few different ways and see how far we can drive it before it screams for mercy.
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Patriot Extreme Performance Viper 3GB PC3-10666 kit Review
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"With i7 taking market share and more people considering building an i7 system every day triple channel memory kits ‘ popularity is on the rise. Today we are looking at an affordable Patriot Extreme Performance Viper Series DDR3 3GB (3 x 1GB) PC3-10666 Enhanced Latency DIMM Kit."
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